Almost
by Lea.Vuillaume
Summary: Sometime life forced you to face your deepest regret, Puck is not used to this but he's not gonna cut it (bad summary but I swear the story's good)


If someone had asked him a few month ago what was the worst word ever, Puck would have blurred out the F-word without a second through, who wouldn't, it probably would have earned him a jab in the ribs from his girlfriend Rachel Berry but well, noyone, not even her would get him to stop cursing. But a lot of thing had changed lately and it the question was to be asked again, he would say that the worst word was : Almost.

–-

9 month earlier,

"Midget !" A voice called out to Rachel in the hallway of McKinley High

The brunette turn around even though she was sure that the one calling her was the one and only Santana Lopez.

"Yes Santana, What can I do for you today ?" Rachel sighted

It was going to make 4 month that she was dating Noah Puckerman, and even though thanks to this the cheerio was somewhat nicer to her, Rachel was still wary of what the girl might want from her.

"I need a favor. You have to get Puckerman to come to my party this weekend." Santana demanded

"Why can't you ask him yourself ?" The gleek wondered

"Cause he won't come if I ask, because you weren't invited to the others. But you have to make him get there... And I guess you could come too." The Latina sighted

Rachel didn't answer for a second, since when did Santana needed help to convince someone to do something for her ? Granted, Noah had stopped going to those party because he said they weren't has good without her, well he hadn't said it like this but anyway. Rachel knew he kinda missed it, and she didn't want to be the reason he missed it.

"Fine, I'll see what I can do. He is giving me a ride home at the end of school, I will talk to him then." She finally replied

"Good. So you are invited. But it doesn't make us friend, Hobbit." Santana said before walking out

Rachel sight, she took her books from her lookers and she walked out to the parking lot, where he was standing close to his truck, waiting for her. God she was lucky, Noah Puckerman might have been a bully but she knew, she knew now that it was just a facade to hide how much he was hurting from everything around. She got on her tip-toes to kiss him once she was close enough, he bend over and smile through the kiss.

" Hi Babe. Wassup ?" He asked

"Santana came to talk to me." She replied

He frowned, Santana had never been nice to Rachel, god knew what Satan had said to his Jewish princess.

"Wha' did she want ?"

"She actually invited the both of us to her party this week-end." Rachel smiled

Puck didn't know what to say, the fact that he was inviter wasn't surprising at all, but Rachel ? He liked her a lot and all but she was far from being popular, what the fuck was Satan up to ?

"I think we should go." Rachel told him before he could say something himself.

"What ? We don't have to go, I know you're not a fan of parties, you don't have to force yourself for Satan." He said with a frown

"I'm not. I'm not a fan of being dead drunk, but I think this party could be fun. We definitely should go. And if it is disappointing, we'll leave."

Puck nodded. They both got in the truck and Noah drove her right back at home. Has she was about to get out of the vehicle, he leaned toward her to give her a kiss. Smiling she then walk in her house, sure that this week-end was going to be great.

Present time,

Noah had been sitting on this hospital chair for god know how long, never moving, or talking, what was the point. He felt someone sitting in the chair beside him.

"Still nothing ?" Quinn asked gently

He shook his head. No, nothing, always nothing.

"She'll wake up, she has to." The blond assured, putting her hand on his arm and squeezing it to comfort him.

He looked up, she had dark circle around her eyes, like him he was sure, Quinn looked tired but she had a small reassuring smile on her face. Puck wanted to believe her.

"What if she doesn't ?" He whispered

Quinn lost her smile and looked at the injured girl lying in the hospital bed in front of her. Tears were gathering in her eyes.

"She will, she had to." she repeated like a mantra

9 month earlier,

"Come on Noah, we are going to be late !" Rachel called

"Relax bade ! We're supposed to be late, no one's expecting us before at least an hour." He replied

Still, he got down the stairs at this moment, a smirk on his face as he looked at his girlfriend, fuck she was sexy, with this short red dress barely covering her knees, and her smile was seriously making him want to kiss he senseless.

"Looking hot, princess." He leered

"You don't clean up pretty bad yourself Noah." She smiled, before she took his arms and dragged him to his car. "Now let's go, we are already late actually. Of 10 minutes."

He laugh, she was something that's for sure. They got into the car and drove to the party, the evening surly was going to be interesting.

Present time,

"... might never wake up." the doctor had said

That's when he had stopped listening, she couldn't, she promised to never leave him ! She couldn't leave him alone, he couldn't bear it. It all flashed back to his mind, everything about her, her smile, her laugh, her tears, her screams, the way she felt too much when she was singing, the way he felt when she was close to him, the way he felt when she told him he'll never be alone again. But he doesn't move, he can't, if he doesn't maybe it'll all turn out to be nothing more than a nightmare. It couldn't be real. How was that fair ? That's what Kurt had asked. But Puck knew, he had learned that a long time ago, life isn't fair, and we aren't in a movie, you never know when the end will come, you don't have time for teary goodbyes, and whatnot, it's all bullshit. All it take is one move, one bad decision, and bam, it's over. And you can't take it back. You can't make it better, because it's done.

–-

9 month earlier,

"You shouldn't drive, Noah. You drank too much." Rachel scolded him

"It's fine babe, it's only a five minutes drive, we'll be fine." He assured

She sight, she knows it's useless to argue with him, and it's not like she could drive anyway, they get into the car, he's actually careful, driving slowly. They talk, they laugh.

"I love you, Noah." She smiled

He was going to answer, he swear he was. But a light blinded him, he felt a crash and it all turned black.

He had to say goodbye. She wouldn't hear it of course, but still. There he was sitting on this same chair beside the same bed like he had for 9 month now. That was it, the end. 'No more hope' that what they had said. They were giving up, and they were going to move on. Once again, someone sat beside him.

"I'm sorry." Quinn said

"So am I." Puck replied

"I can't imagine what you must be feeling, I don't know what I would feel if it was Sam." She chocked on a sob

"Did you tell him ?" Puck asked "That you love him." He added

"No yet." She just whispered

"Do it. Do it now, because you might not get another chance. When you love someone you tell them, you tell them now because life doesn't give you a second chance. You just have today and that's all. For all you know you'll be dead tomorrow. So tell him, take the risk, take the chance, an then you go from there. Because you won't have another shot." Puck told her, never taking his eyes away from the laying body in front of him.

It was just a shell now, an empty shell of the lively girl Rachel Berry used to be. She looked peaceful, as if she was just sleeping. Quinn, stared at the boy for a minute, then she looked a the girl laying down, and she frowned.

"Did you tell her ?" She asked

He doesn't answer right away, one single tear slid down his cheek, and he turned to look at the blond before he gave an answer.

"Almost."


End file.
